There is a hole in hearts today where our little boy, Snickers used to be.

We had to let our brave little man go yesterday after giving his doggymom & I so much joy this past 17-1/2 years.

A pure Shih Tzu, he was the Alpha Dog in our pack of eight, most of which are rescues but he was not one of the rescues. He was born on Valentine’s Day in 1993 and needless to say has given us many, many fond memories in all his time with us.

We sat together before his last ride to the Vet yesterday by the lake where we live out in the sunshine and fresh air that he used to love to romp around in. I stroked his head, scratched him behind the ears and tried to do the best I could to convey the joy he had given us for so long a time but the tears kept coming so hard………

Doggymom and I had his seven brothers & sisters to return home to last night and bless their hearts they are doing all they can to help us mend but at this point it just doesn’t seem possible.

We held him and put as much love on him as possible to help comfort him during his passing but I can’t remember feeling so inadequate.

We are unable to move or touch his bed yet that remains in his special place in the living room or move the soft rug that he last laid on in Doggymom’s office that he bunched-up just so…….

I can’t believe he will no longer be leading the pack first thing in the morning after their outside time when they all come back in for their peanut-butter toast snack, or that we’ll no longer hear his Woof-Woof dinner time warning in the afternoons if we happen to run past the 3:00 feeding time.

http://www.2easy.texttampabay.com/News/Snickers1.jpg

http://www.2easy.texttampabay.com/News/Snickers2.jpg

http://www.2easy.texttampabay.com/News/Snickers3.jpg

Snickers, you will never know how much we love you, how much joy you brought into our lives or how much you will be missed.

Doggymom & Doggydad.

P.S. – Karlin: It has been quite some time since I’ve posted on the board and I just wanted to give thanks for providing a place of such value for serious pet owners to gain good information as well as to express feelings as above.
Doggydad & Doggymom (Jim & Linda Fenton).
Oh yeah, and not to forget;
Mocha: Pekinese – Shih Tzu mix (rescue).
Abby: Heinz 57 mix (rescue).
Charlie: CKCS Blenheim.
Megan: CKCS Ruby.
Hobie: Poodle mix (rescue).
Bessie: Miniature Poodle (rescue).
Butch: Mix (rescue – Hurricane Ike, Galveston Tex)

Love my Cavaliers

31st August 2010, 01:13 PM

Oh, I'm so sorry. Run like the wind Snickers.

ppotterfield

31st August 2010, 03:52 PM

How wonderful that Snickers was with you for so long! What a tribute to him and to the care you gave him.

Thanks for sharing the photos! I love the one in the "personalized" life vests!!!

Phyllis

Cathy T

31st August 2010, 03:55 PM

I am so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful description of Snickers, I could feel your love and your loss in your words.

Sandrac

31st August 2010, 04:21 PM

So sorry to hear that you have given Snickers his wings. May his memory stay forever in your heart.:flwr:

brid kenny

31st August 2010, 07:10 PM

What a long lovely life your doggy had. Mind yourselves these next few weeks.

Furrfoot

31st August 2010, 07:23 PM

I'm so sorry.

pippa

31st August 2010, 07:57 PM

So sorry :(

team bella

31st August 2010, 10:32 PM

So sorry for your loss, he sounded like a real little character. Very sorry:hug::hug:

Jasperxxgabby

31st August 2010, 10:39 PM

I am so sorry :flwr:

Jay

1st September 2010, 03:09 AM

What a lovely tribute to a wonderful dog. Snickers was beautiful. You had many wonderful years with him. His memory will live on in your hearts.

Please accept my sincere condolences.

Peace,
J.

tara

1st September 2010, 04:10 AM

I am so very sorry for your loss. Your tribute to Snickers was really special. He was obviously an extremely loved member of your family.

Doggydad

1st September 2010, 12:50 PM

Thanks everyone so much for your kind words and heartfelt condolences.

All of our babies bring so much joy into our lives it makes it that much more difficult to endure their passing, especially when the decision is up to you to know “when it’s time”.

When you have a group like we have and you care about them as I know everyone on this board does about their own, you basically structure your lives around them.

As I think everyone will agree, each has their own personality and is very much unique in their own way….and although each carries a special place in your heart, one can’t replace the other.

We are both hollow right now with this loss, very difficult to say the least to explain to friends or family who might not be dog lovers. You see, there is a significant difference between a dog owner and a dog lover, which need not be explained to those members in this forum.

To help the healing process, we are trying to focus on the happy times with our little boy, one of which we laugh about a lot and I’d like to share with you.

As a lot of dogs are, Snickers was very protective of his domain. From a puppy after he learned of the existence of ducks, no ducks were allowed in our yard, period.

This incident happened however when he was a pup (about a year old) and before we were aware of this passion.

In 1994 my mom was in a rehab clinic recovering from a fall. She was particularly fond of Snickers so my better half (Doggymom) and I decided to take him with us one day when we went to visit her, the thought being to help cheer her up.

So we spiffied him all up with a bath, and blow-dried coat and away we went.

When we arrived Doggymom walked him out in the front of the facility where there was a grassy area to go potty before we went into the building.

He was on a leash but he always minded very well and since there was no danger (we thought) nearby she turned him loose for a minute so he would feel free to go potty.

Further out front of this grassy area was a retention pond which was three-quarters full of water. Talk about a “perfect storm”. Just about the time Doggymom disconnected Snicker’s leash, a family of ducks landed on the grass nearby.

That boy took off running so fast after those ducks while barking up a storm it was unbelievable!

….and then came the funny part. Those ducks naturally flew into the water and landing gracefully on the surface gliding away thinking they were safe I’m sure but Snickers never skipped a beat.

He ran full speed and jumped off the bank of that pond looking like one of those contest dogs that fly into the water on-command after a Frisbee?

He landed in a full belly-flop (I’m sure he would’ve gotten all 1’s & 2’s if there were Olympic judges on the side raising their score cards for the Diving category) and just kept swimming after those ducks.

Then after-wards, talk about him being a mess to go inside that facility to visit my mom, he was something to behold. But he didn’t care, as far as he was concerned, he had just done his doggy duty for sure!

We all had a good laugh about it that day and remains in our minds as one of his many fond memories.

As you can see in the one photo above where Snickers is in the boat in his life vest after going for a swim with three of his other brothers and sisters, he's looking past Doggymom while she's giving treats to everyone. There's only one thing that diverted his attention away from food, I would bet that there's a duck on the water somewhere behind her!

Thanks again everyone for your kindness, we really appreciate it.

Doggydad & Doggymom.

Karlin

1st September 2010, 09:46 PM

What a lovely post honouring Snickers, who was clearly a real character of a dog -- it is so sad to read of your heartbreak and how raw your feelings are right now, but very moving, and I know we all understand your distress. I also know sharing your feelings so openly helps many others who might not be able to explain their loss so clearly, or who will feel comforted that others would also share and understand their own sorrow at the loss of a loved companion. There's always a community here to fully comprehend what you are going through.

Thanks for sharing Snickers' ducks story too -- that sure brought a smile!

Snickers certainly had a very long life and what great fortune to have enjoyed him for so long, but no matter how long they are with us, it is never long enough.

Shivers

2nd September 2010, 04:35 PM

They are such lovely tributes to Snickers. Thank you for sharing the duck story, I can totally picture it :)
I am sure he will be so missed.

Desrae

2nd September 2010, 04:41 PM

I'm so sorry for your loss of sweet little Snickers. My heart goes out to you. Wow, what a great 17 and half years he had with you though. Rest in Peace Snickers.

Thanks so much for sharing your stories and photos with us. I really like it!:l*v:

Pamela Warrington

2nd September 2010, 05:04 PM

Snickers,

There is a place called Rainbow Bridge where all the little doggies are to wait to be with there mommy and daddy's again. A place just for you to run free and let the wind blow. A place where there is no pain or sadness. It's special because God made this place for all of his loving creation. Know that Snickers will be waiting and in the mean time take comfort and knowing that 17 1/2 years was a complete blessing to have such a fur baby be with you and to share that unconditional love that comes from only a dog or any type of pet you may be blessed to care for. My heart is with you and may the Lord comfort you!:hug::hug:

goodie2su

2nd September 2010, 05:08 PM

Words are not enough, truly sorry to hear of Snickers passing.

matties mum

2nd September 2010, 06:49 PM

So very sorry
---Aileen

emmastewartliberty

2nd September 2010, 08:20 PM

What a wonderful tribute. I'm so sorry , and know something of what you are going through as I said goodbye to 2 of my gang this summer, and it is unbelievably hard. This forum is such a help, I agree. A friend of mine suggested I write Whisper's (- a rescue cav, )and Anna's(- retired guide dog brood bitch-) life stories- so i pass the suggestion on to you as you write so eloquently. Thinking of you. Take care.

Doggydad

7th September 2010, 11:56 AM

Reading through other wonderful tributes on this forum just tears one’s heart out and is testimony to the love we have for our ‘kids’.

I’m seeing that we all handle the grief differently but in the end it has the same impact on our hearts & souls.

In our case at the moment we seem to somewhat still be in denial. We seem to want to shy away from anything that validates Snicker's passing, at least for now.

On Friday last week Doggymom and I were just coming to grips with things, or so we thought, when she listened to her VM messages left on her cell phone and heard the vet-tech say that Snicker’s Urn was ready to be picked up.

I just thought it was hard talking about these decisions “before it was time” but it doesn’t compare to now……

Neither one of us can bear to go get him yet. We want him back but not like this……

I look for him in his little bed out by the TV in the living room when I make coffee in the morning but he’s not there…..

We gave all the kids the last few spoons of our ice cream last night as we always do once a weeks or so, lately however we always had to bend down to give Snickers his ice cream treat because he couldn’t jump up anymore with the others….but now he’s not there……so it made me wonder…is there ice cream where they go?.....

All the kids get to run & play in our fenced-in yard at least a couple times a day for their exercise…we make it a practice to always do a head count when they come back in……and we’re so used to counting to eight…but now it’s only seven…..cause he’s not there….

I have to stop now….

Snickers – Our little boy...we love you so much…..

http://www.2easy.texttampabay.com/News/Snickers4.jpg

Doggymom & Doggydad.

The Rouge Princess

7th September 2010, 02:27 PM

Doggydad,

I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of Snickers.I have tears in my eyes as I type this.He was much loved and always remembered.

I hope these words offer a little comfort to you and your family :hug:

R
x

Desrae

7th September 2010, 09:23 PM

Hi Doggydad-
What a lovely picture of Snickers, he's beautiful!

I always try to imagine what heaven is like and have had these discussions with various people, including my little girl... we both absolutely agree that there IS ice cream in heaven, why wouldn't there be? I'd say Snickers is back to his young self licking a big ol' ice cream right now. Yum.
The grief will take time to subside, but just go with it, that's all you can do! We're here for you.